UH Manoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene welcomes SimBaby to its simulation laboratory

HONOLULU — The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa‘s School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene (SONDH) will soon have a new addition to its state-of-the-art Simulation Laboratory. SimBaby™, a high-fidelity mannequin with advanced simulation capabilities, will arrive at the school on March 15. The simulator will help educators test student decision-making and technical skills in pediatric care without any risk to a real-life baby.

"Infants are physiologically different from adults; therefore, it is important for nurses to know how to respond appropriately when an infant requires medical care, especially in emergency settings," said instructor Lorrie Wong. According to the National Vital Statistics Report, Hawaiʻi‘s infant mortality rate was 7.3 out of 1000 births in 2002, and in the more rural areas of the state, infant mortality rates were as high as 22.3 percent. In comparison, the national infant mortality rate is 7 out of 1000 births.

SimBaby™ interfaces with a laptop computer that is controlled by the nursing teacher. It can simulate real baby noises such as crying and whimpering, as well as over 2000 heart rhythm combinations and multiple respiratory noises that are specific to infant emergency care.

The simulator will be used by 200-250 nursing students per year, and will provide students with hands-on training in infant airway-management, pediatric intravenous drug administration, and infant cardiac arrest. Having experience in managing simulation scenarios prepares nursing students for similar real-life situations without exposing a real person or infant to risk.

SimBaby™ costs roughly $40,000 and was purchased through a grant from the HMSA Foundation. "The HMSA Foundation and SONDH recognize that caring for a critically ill infant requires specialized training and have joined together to ensure that Hawaii nursing students receive cutting-edge pediatric training that enhances learning while providing no risk to infants," said Wong.

SONDH‘s Simulation Laboratory already features a state-of the-art human simulator, SimMan™, who breathes, moans and simulates medical conditions. The Simulation Laboratory, located in Webster Hall on the UH Mānoa campus, was unveiled in August 2005.

Visit www.nursing.hawaii.edu for more information about the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene at UH Mānoa.